Minnow-trap.



ARTHUR :IOHN ALGATE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

MINNOW-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Apnlinatioii filed September 10,1906. Serial No. 334,043.

[0 all "ti/harm it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J OHN ALGATE, of thccity of Toronto, inthecounty of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Minnow-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relatesto improvements in minnowtraps; and the object ofthe invention is to devise a form of trap which may be readily'collapsed and occupy but little space when collapsed, and therefore beconveniently packed and carried.

Further objects are to devise a trap which may be readily drained whenraised out of the water and the minnows quickly recovered from eitherend.

My invention consists of three plates of cel luloid connected togetherso as to be substantially triangular in cross-section, the bottom beingperforated and the apex being provided with a handle and ends of platesbeing bent inwardly to form funnel-shaped ends, the celluloid beingpreferably transparent and the parts being otherwise constructed andarranged as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my minnow-trap complete. Fig. 2 is aplan view showing the trap in collapsed form spread out. Fig. 3 is aviewof the trap in a collapsed form. Fig. 4 is a cross-section through thetraIp.

' n the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A, A, and A are the three sides of my minnow-trap, which are preferablymade of transparent celluloid, the side A forming the bottom and thesides A and A the sides, which meet in an apex at the top.

The side A is provided .with an overlying flap A which has holes Aintermediate of its length registering with holes in the side A andholes A in the side A in order to pro-' vide for the attaching of thewire handle B, which is of any suitable form and has the lower endsformed up so as to pass through the flap A side A, and side A andthereby hold the trap together.

The handle B is readily detachable at the ends, being provided with aform of hookshaped end B, the major portion of which be ing located inan offset B in the wire, from which it may be readily detached, so thatthe handle may be released.

The bottom A is provided with perforations 2, as shown, in order toallow of the quick draining of the trap when it is withdrawn from thewater and also quick sinking.

The sides A and A are connected to the side A by means of any suitableform of lacing O, as indicated. Such lacing may be readily undone, ifdesired.

The ends of the sides A, A, and A respectively, are provided withsubstantially triangular flaps A", A, and A provided with lips 3, whichare designed to straddle the upper edge of the flaps A when the trap isset up, and the flaps A are pro vided with lips 4, which are likewisedesigned The flaps A are to straddle the upper edge of the flaps A whenthe trap is set up, thereby holding the flaps in substantially apyramidal funnel form. The lower flap A it will be seen, is free fromthe upper flaps and unconnected to them, and for this reason I amenabled to readily depress this flap when it is desired to extract theminnows. It is of course to be understood that the flaps are folded inthe celluloid and that the natural spring of the celluloid and the lips3 and 4 serve to hold these flaps A A and A together in the form shownin Fig. 1, which is a substantially funnel form, such funnel extendinginwardly, as indicated.

It will be readily seen on reference to Fig. 2, as well as Fig. 3, thatthe trap may be collapsed or knocked down into convenient size ready forcarrying. This is particularly indicated in F ig. 3, and from thisfigure it will be seen that the size of the case necessary to carry thetrap, if a case is required, would be small.

Although I have shown my minnow-trap as composed of three sides, it willof course be understood that it may be made with a greater number ofsides without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In placing my trap in the water it of course does not matter whendeposited on what side it falls on, as it is equally eflicient from anyside.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A minnow-trap comprising sidesflexibly connected together at the edges and having inwardly-extendingend flaps forming funnel-shaped ends one of said end flaps havingmovement in relation to the other flaps as and for the purposespecifiedli 2. A minnow-trap comprising sides flexibly connectedtogether at the edges and hav ing inwardly-extending end laps formingfunnel-shaped ends, and asupplemental flap at the edge of one sideoverlying the adjacent side, and means for connecting these two sidesand the supplemental flap together as and for the purpose specified.

3. A minnow-trap comprisingsides flexihly connected together at theedges and having inwardly extending end laps fori'ning funnel-shapedends, and a supplemental flap at the edge of one side overlying the adjaeent side, and a Wire handle extending througl'i holes in the connectedsides and overlying lap as and for the purpose specified.

4. A minnow-trap comprising sides connected together at the edges andhaving inwardly-extending end flaps forming funnelshaped ends, oneofsaid flaps having self closing mo'vei'nent in relation to the otherswhen moved tl'ierefrom, substantially as described.

5. A minnow-trap comprising sides connected. together and.inwardly-extending end. flaps "forming funnel-shaped ends one of saidend flaps having yielding movement in relation to the other end flaps.

6. A minnow-trap comprising sides suitably connected together at theirlongitudinal edges and having end flaps extending in Wardly andfori'ning funnels, the side end flaps being provided. With straddlinglips, as and for the purpose specified.

ARTHUR JOHN ALGAflE.

WVitnesses:

B. BYD, E. MoEAonERN.

